Last year we had 2 little bushes and I laid up about 12 jelly jars of pickled jalapenos. This does not count the refrigerator ones I did in the quart jar.

We have a couple extra bushes this year (like 12 more than last year ) and while it isn't time I am already thinking about canning. The biggest problem I have is the time it took to process. Being a tad paranoid about the possibility of killing myself I used the pint jar timing, but this, I believe, caused the peppers to be over processed. They aren't as crisp as one would like.

Is there an accepted timing for jelly jars (4 oz) for pressure canning pickled jalapenos? I used the brine and recipe from the book downstairs (I think it was Ball, might have been some one else's).

I used jelly jars as this kinda makes a single serving size so one can open, eat and not have to worry about it getting lost in the fridge.

Thanks.

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The closest I get to crisp japs are the Vlasics in the bulk aisle at Walmart. I freeze most of my home grown hot peppers in the seal-a-meal thing.

I wonder if a water bath or steam canner would keep them crisper, rather than the pressure canner? It seems the PC might overcook them, especially when packed in jelly jars. I use Ball's recipe for my pickled green beans, pack them in pint widemouth jars, they're always nice and crisp, and I use a stovetop steam canner. I wonder if that would work for japs, minus the hot pepper flakes.

Pickled food is not Pressure Canned and any canning/cooking process is going to soften the food to a large degree. Approved and tested canning recipes are designed to use the minimum safe period of time that is required.

Most pickled items, including Jalapenos, are processed in a Boiling Water Canner (not a steam canner) for 10 minutes. I prefer sliced peppers but there are recipes for whole peppers and also roasted ones where the skin is removed before canning. Crispness can be improved by keeping the food item cold before going into the jar and also by including Potassium Chloride (Pickle Crisp).

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Unless a recipe is specifically tested for a smaller jar, processing time for smaller jars is the same as the tested size in the recipe, i.e., recipe references only Pint jars and you use the smaller half-pint jar the processing time would still be for the Pint jars. In this case the processing time is 10 minutes and would not "over cook" the contents.

The processing time is how long it takes to sterilize and kill harmful bacteria toxins and spores. How much it may "cook" the contents is not really relevant since the processing time cannot be changed so it might be less cooked.

Also keep in mind that food items to be canned should be absolutely fresh (less than a few hours old) if you want to maximize crispness. Store-bought items can be days and even weeks old and possibly subjected to adverse cold storage that damages cell structure. Not bad for immediate consumption but not ideal for the harshness of home canning.

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No but they aren't mushy either. About the same as what one finds canned in the stores. I prefer 'nacho' style so the skin is not an issue, or occasionally I will cut in half length-wise. Whole jalapenos I generally dehydrate rather than trying to 'can'.

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